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Managing for growth: An interview with former Emerson CEO Chuck Knight

• From the mid-1950s until 2000, Emerson Electric notched up annual increases in earnings per share and dividends. Leading Emerson through most of this time was Charles F. ("Chuck") Knight.
• In this interview, Knight reflects on the company's transformation from a regional maker of simple industrial components into a tech-savvy global provider of automated process controls, network power systems, climate control technologies, and a host of related services.
• Knight also discusses the role that process plays in management, M&A, and talent development and reflects on Emerson's early days in China and its transformation from a fast follower into a technological leader.
• Knight argues that a robust management process can be more effective than corporate structure in guiding an organization.